Read the passage 2

Mary Ellen recounts the challenges she faced in her bid to win a medal as a platform diver.

Diving is my passion, my life. I have been doing it since I was a kid, starting out with somersaults on the trampoline, and graduating to the springboard of our neighborhood pool. I was taught by my dad, who had been a diver at the University o Pennsylvania.

Later, I attended Pennsylvania State University, where I became a platform diver. A 10-meter platform is as high as a three-storey building. You hit the water like a bullet. My first time on the platform, it took me a half hour standing at he edge before I got up the nerve to dive. I have never looked back since.

After I graduated, I moved to Florida to train with legendary diving coach, Ron O'Brien. Coach O'Brien said I stood a chance of making the US Olympic team that would compete in the Barcelona summer games.

Training is grueling. The impact of hitting the water at high velocity again and again takes its toll on the body. But all the training was wroth it. When I was named to the US Olympic Diving team, I called back home immediately: "I made it, Dad !"

Though I had good news, Dad had bad. He was scheduled for open-heart surgery. My first impulse was to skip the Olympics so I could stay with him. Dad would not hear of it. "After all, Mare," he reassured me, "isn't this what I got you started on ? Remember ?"

Through all my years of competition, one image I kept close was that of my father bending me into the proper dive position on the springboard when I was little.

Now, hugging me goodbye before I left for Barcelona, my father said, "I'll be watching you on TV, Mare." Dad, who had taken all seven of us children to church every Sunday, kept a strong faith that would sustain him through whatever lay ahead. On the plane, I prayed and received the strong impression he would be all right.

Soon I was faced with another dilemma. The opening ceremonies were scheduled to take place between 8.00 pm and 1.00 am the night before my first event. I would get only a few hours' sleep if I marched with the other US Olympians. "We can always watch it on TV back at the Olympic village," Coach said.

I recalled Dad's words: "I'll be watching you on TV." I had got word he had come through his surgery nicely and was recovering well. It would make him very proud to see me with the other Americans. So I marched, the only platform diver at the ceremonies.

After the next day's competition, I was in second place. My coach said I was "a dark horse for a medal". the Russian and Chinese divers had been heavily favored. At 29, I had been written off by most people as too old to win. "Maybe you should march before all your events," Coach joked.

But my next-to-last dive was a disaster and plunged me into fifth place. I had one final shot at a medal. As I stood on the platform ready to take my last dive, I paused a bit longer than usual. The announcement came over the loudspeaker. "Mary Ellen Clark of the United States, doing a backward one-and-a-half somersault with two-and-a-half twists.

I stepped up to the edge of the platform and turned my back to the water. With a quick prayer and an incredible sense of lightness, I was airborne, arcing out over the pool, twisting and tumbling, the Barcelona skyline flashing by. A micro-instant later, I ripped into the water. I knew I had nailed the dive. When I shot back to the surface, Coach O'Brien was yelling, "Bronze, Mary Ellen, bronze !"

As I stood on the awards platform to accept my medal, I knew Dad was watching. This is for you, Dad, I thought. What an incredible feeling !

From paragraph 1-2 :

  1.

(a) Who had been Mary Ellen's first diving coach ?

(b) Mary Ellen loved platform diving and yet, she found it a frightening thing to do at first. Quote a phrase that expresses how frightening this experience was.

   

From paragraph 4-5 :

  2. Why did Mary Ellen consider missing the Olympics ?

From paragraph 8-9 :

  3.

(a) Mary Ellen was the only platform diver at the opening ceremonies of the Olympics. Give the main reason why the other platform divers had missed the ceremonies.

(b) Why did she finally decide to take part in the opening ceremonies ?

    From paragraph 10 :

  

4. Mary Ellen's coach said she was "a dark horse for a medal".

(a) Explain what this phrase means.

(b) State two reasons why he called her "a dark horse for a medal".

From paragraph 11-13 :

  5.

Express in your own words how Mary Ellen had performed for her last two dives.

Answers

 

1.

(a) Her father

(b) My first time on the platform, it took me a half hour standing at the edge before I got up the nerve to dive.

 

2.

Her father was going to have open-heart surgery.

 

3.

(a) The ceremonies were taking place between 8.00 pm and 1.00 am the night before their first event and taking part would mean they would not get enough rest before competing.

(b) Her father had said that he would be watching her on television and she wanted him to see her and fell proud of her.

 

4.

(a) It means she had not been expected to win a medal

(b) Firstly, the Russian and Chinese divers were heavily favored. Secondly, at 29 years of age, she was considered too old to win.

 

5.

Her next-to-last dive had been very bad whereas her last one had been very good.

Read the passage 1

The earth is losing its forests. Presently, trees cover about 30 percent of the earth's surface, but they are being destroyed at an alarming rate, especially in the tropics. Timber harvesting is a major reason for the destruction of the forests. Trees are used for building houses, making furniture, and providing pulp for paper products, such as newspapers and magazines. At least 40 hectares of rainforest are being felled every minute, mostly in order to extract the valuable timber.

Another way that man is destroying the world's forests is by burning them down. In the Amazon, for example, rainforests are being burnt down at a rate of 20 hectares a minutes. The main reason for this is to clear the land for farming. Farmers in rainforest countries are often poor and cannot afford to buy land. Instead, these farmers clear rainforest h land to raise their animals or grow their crops. Because tropical rainforest soil is so poor in nutrients, framers cannot reuse the same land year after year. In the following years, farmers just clear more land, destroying the forest piece by piece. Already more than 30 tropical countries have reached a critical level of forest destruction and one-time exporters of timber such as Nigeria and Thailand now have to import timber for their domestic needs.

Should we get all excited and worried about the loss of the forests ? Yes, we should. Healthy trees are a vital part of the environment, and keep the entire balance of the atmosphere agreeable to all life forms. Forests are catchment areas for rainwater, holding the rainwater in the leaves of the trees, so that it will not sink so quickly into the earth's crust. Furthermore, the forests help maintain the water cycles in the area. The masses of cloud that provide the rain are formed over the moist forests. Thus, the destruction of forests may also lead to a reduction in rainfall over the area, resulting in drought.

Forests also protect and feed the earth's fragile mantle of soil. Tees curb soil erosion. Without the tree cover, the land is totally exposed to the agents of erosion, such as strong winds and heavy rainfall. The strong winds blow away the top layers of the soil and he flowing water carries it away into the rivers, lakes or sea. Consequently, the once fertile land is converted into a barren wasteland. In addition, denuded hill slopes are vulnerable to landslides, which can be catastrophic disasters, resulting in the loss of homes and lives.

Apart from preventing soil erosion and landslides, forests, with their abundant supply of leaves, give compost back to the land, thus helping it to remain fertile. the leaves of the trees and the droppings of the birds, animals and insects which live in them, fall to the ground, where they decay and replenish the soil with mulch, minerals and manure.

Forests are rich in flora and fauna. The rainforests are home to over half of the entire species of the world, which are being destroyed with the rainforests; and some of those species that are killed will never return again. Plants and creatures are god's gift to us and they serve mankind, each in its own way. For example, plants are the source of our clothes; and the rubber used for tyres comes from trees. Plants are also the source of sugar, coffee, tea, rice, wheat and many delicious and nutritious fruit.

In addition, most of the medicines that have been used by men are derived from plants and animals. Most of the Chinese medicines, for example, such as ginseng and ginkgo, are herb-based. An example from the realm of modern Western medicine is the drug 'vincristine'. This drug, which is derived from a jungle plant, is used in the treatment of leukemia. Many of those species that have not yet been discovered may very likely cure cancer, AIDS, and many of the other diseases and virus-based illnesses of today. In fact, one research scientist in the field of botany has concluded that in Costa Rica's forests alone, 15 percent of the plant species may have the potential as a treatment for cancer. What potential life-saving medicines are we losing each day as the forests are being destroyed ?

Apart from all this, let us keep in mind the most basic function of trees, which is that they provide oxygen. All living creatures need to breathe oxygen in order to stay alive. A treeless planet will be an airless and, therefore, a dead one.

From paragraph 1-2 :

  1.

(a) State two main ways that forests are being destroyed.

(b) What is the main purpose for the burning of the trees in the forests of the Amazon ?

   

From paragraph 2 :

  2. What point is the writer trying to show in mentioning the fact that Nigeria and Thailand have to import timber ?

From paragraph 3 :

  3.

(a) Explain why the destruction of forests may lead to drought.

(b) Find a word in this paragraph which means "very important".

    From paragraph 4 :

  4.

(a) Why is soil erosion a greater problem in areas that have been cleared of forests ?

(b) Explain the meaning of "... denuded hill slopes ..." without using the italicised word.

    From paragraph 7 :

  5. What is 'vincristine' ?

Answers

 

1.

(a) They are felled and burnt down.

(b) The land is cleared for cattle grazing.

 

2.

They have lost too much of their forests.

 

3.

(a) Forests are catchment areas for rainwater, preventing rainwater from sinking so quickly into the ground. Masses of rain-bearing clouds form over the moist forests. Thus the destruction of the forests may cause a reduction of rain in the area.

(b) Vital

 

4.

(a) Without the tree cover, the land is totally exposed to the agents of erosion, such as strong winds and heavy rainfall.

(b) Hills that have been cleared of all vegetation.

 

5.

It is a drug used in the treatment of cancer.

Preposition

1. I am interested ______ stamp-collecting.
             
    (A) in
                (B) on
    (C) at
    (D) about
             
2. Are you ready ______ dinner ?
             
    (A) on
(B)   for
                (C) of
    (D) off
             
3. Mary is not used ______ staying in a big city.
             
    (A) for
(B) on
    (C) in
    (D) to

             
4. John is tired ______ eating fried rice.
             
    (A) on
(B)  of
                (C) for
    (D) from
             
5.   My brother is good ______ languages.
             
    (A) at
                (B) on
    (C) by
    (D) of
             
6.   " I really felt sorry ______ the old lady," Edie said.
             
    (A) from
(B) of
    (C) off
    (D) for

             
7.   "Telephone my office and ask ______ Mr. Wang," I said.
             
    (A) from
(B) for
                (C) of
    (D) off


8.   " I'm sorry. I have to back ______ of this deal," he said.
       
    (A) about
    (B) out
                (C) for
    (D) at
       
9.   Mr. Michael is ______. He'll be back soon.
       
    (A) away
                 (B) of
    (C) against
    (D) over
       
10.   The French army blew the bugle ______ the start of the battle.
       
    (A) at
                (B) over
    (C) to
    (D) up

Answers : 1A    2B    3D    4B    5A    6D    7B    8B    9A    10A

       

     

SUMMARY 2

Summarize in not more than 120 words, describing how Sam became an alcoholic and later kicked the habit.

" I want some more beer ..." Sam turned around and saw a dirty, unshaven drunkard mumbling in coherently as he wobbled aimlessly along the road. Shaking his head, Sam continued his way back home.

Sam did not bother to switch on the lights at home. Everyone must be asleep at this late hour, he thought. He tiptoed into Marie's bedroom and found her sleeping soundly, snugly tucked under her pink comforter. Sam bent over and kissed his beloved five-year-old daughter's forehead. "Thanks, dear. If it was not for you, I would never have turned over a new leaf," Sam whispered in gratitude, recalling the drunken man he saw a while ago.

A year ago, after being retrenched from his computer company, Sam felt dejected and worried about how he was going to provide for his family. The situation worsened when he failed to secure a job after months of intensive searching. Soon, Sam began to indulge in alcoholic drinks to drown his sorrows. His savings which was used to sustain the family expenses during his retrenchment was tremendously depleted by his drinking habits. Soon his wife, Catherine, became the family's sole bread winner.

Catherine's efforts to stop Sam from drinking were futile. Alcohol had transformed the once-gentle family man into a violent beast. Sam began to hit his wife when she refused to give hi money for his drinks. Once Catherine tried hiding his drinking bottles, hoping to stop Sam from drinking. Sam was so agitated when he could not find his bottles that he locked Marie into her bedroom and threatened her into revealing the hiding place. The incident instilled terror in Marie and thereafter, she tried her best to avoid Sam.

These traumatic incidents continued until the launch of the "stop Drinking" campaign by the government. Striking and persuasive posters were put up in the public to persuade alcoholics to kick their habit. None of them succeeded in bringing Sam to his senses except one. The poster illustrated an alcoholic man abusing his wife while their terrified daughter cried helplessly. The slogan accompanying the poster was: 'Will Your Children Be Able To Draw A Happy Family Again?'. Sam suddenly recalled a poster entitled 'Happy Family' drawn by Marie for school before he began drinking. As if released from a spell, he realized how irresponsible and abusive he had been. Overcome with guilt, he quit drinking totally.

"Sam, why aren't you going to sleep?" asked a concerned Catherine.

"I'm coming, Catherine," Sam replied with a smile as he headed for his room.

Answer

Sam became a drunkard after failing to find a job following his retrenchment. His savings was reduced so quickly that Catherine had to work to support the family. Despite Catherine's advice, he persisted hi drinking habits and even extorted money from her, hitting her when he refused to give in. He once locked up Marie in the bedroom, forcing her to reveal the whereabouts of his beer bottles which Catherine used to hide. The event instilled terror in Marie and thereafter she tried her best to avoid Sam. During the "Stop Drinking" campaign launched by the government, Sam came to his senses when he saw a broken family of a drunkard. From then on, he quit drinking.. ( 117 words )

     

turn over a new leaf   to start behaving in a better way

         

dejected                    unhappy, disappointed or lacking hope

     

traumatic                 If an experience is traumatic, it causes you severe emotional

                                        shock and upset

SUMMARY 1

Summarize in not more than 120 words, how camouflaging and mimicry help insects

Have you ever wondered why soldiers are always clad in green? This is to enable them to camouflage themselves during wartime. Hiding in the jungles, their green attire blend into the surrounding trees and shrubs, making it difficult for the enemies to spot them.

Long before man make use of camouflaging, insects have already adopted the tactic of disguise to escape from the clutches of their predators. By having body colors close to those of the rocks and dried leaves, they catch less attention from the predators and hence escape from being pursued. However, this kind of disguise works only if the insects remain still in the presence of their predators.

Butterflies and moths have developed a variety of camouflage strategies since they are quite defenceless and their predators - birds are abundant in supply. Many moth caterpillars resemble dead twigs while the young of certain species of butterflies appear like bird droppings. Adult butterflies and moths camouflage themselves too, in attempts to escape from their hunters -- birds who are superior gliders. Possessing wings which resemble dried leaves help certain butterflies and moths to hide among heaps of dried leaves when predators are around.

Fortunately, not all insects choose the art of disguise to escape from their predators; otherwise, the world would be so dull and colorless. There are insects which assimilate the bright body colors of bees and wasps to escape from being pursued by their predators. The concept of mimicry was derived, owing to the bees and wasps. Long ago, birds have already learnt to avoid brilliantly colored wasps and bees in fear of their painful stings. Hence, over millions of years, many harmless insects have assimilated the bees and wasps by imitating their bright body colors and shapes. In this way, they appear dangerous to their predators and hence ward them off.

Mimics of the wasps and bees are most commonly found in the gardens. The furry, plump bee-fly not only appears like the bumble bee in terms of body colors, even its hums sound similar too. The only difference is that the bee-fly does not have a sting and is hence harmless. The hoverfly is another insect which imitates the body colors of the wasps. Their bodies are striped yellow and black. The only deviations are that hoverflies do not have stings and they have only one pair of wings each while wasps have two pairs each. These variations are hardly noticed by the predators and hence help them to escape.

Answer

Camouflaging and mimicry have helped defenceless insects escape from their predators. Camouflaging requires insects to have body colors close to the surroundings so as to appear less eye-catching to predators. The moth caterpillars look like dead twigs while certain butterfly caterpillars resemble bird droppings. Some butterflies and moths have wings that resemble dried leaves. Mimicry requires harmless insects to adopt the body colors and shapes of the wasps and bees so as to fool their predators into thinking that they are dangerous. Predators usually avoid them, thinking they have stings too. The bee-fly and hoverfly assimilate the body colors of the bumble bee and wasps respectively and the bee-fly even hums like the bumble bee. ( 118 words )

     

camouflage   the use of leaves, branches, paints and clothes for hiding soldiers or

                                military equipment so that they look part of their surroundings

     

assimilate   to become similar to

     

ward off   to prevent something unpleasant from harming or approaching you

CLOZE 3

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the box. Use each word once only

(A) due     (D) but              (G) only              (K) before         (N) on

(B) almost (E) between         (H) the              (L) when         (P) the

(C) by       (F) so                (J) of                (M) from                (Q) for

The Orochimaru Bridge is a suspension bridge. This means that the roadway is suspended ___1___ concrete pillars by cables. The pillars have to be tall enough to support the whole weight of the bridge. These pillars had to be built to withstand not ___2___ waves of tsunamic proportion but also high-speed winds and possibly even violent earthquakes. The bridge has already survived one earthquake: its span was extended ___3___ more than 5 meters by the Hokage earthquake of 1997.

The cables weigh seventy thousand tons and have a diameter of ___4___ six meters each. Each cable contains 350 hexagonal strands; each strand is composed of 147 steel wires. The total length of the wire used is enough to circle ___5___ Earth 7.5 times !

The first plans to connect Hokage to Sasuke via Hitachi Island were raised in 1967 ___6___ it took the government thirty years to decide to build the bridge. The next five years were spent surveying the site ___7___ construction started in 1985. In designing the bridge, special consideration was given to its effect ___8___ the surroundings. The design emphasizes much on the 'pleasing balance ___9___ light and shade' and also on the choice ___10___ the right color.

Keys

1M   2G   3C   4B   5P   6D   7K   8N   9E   10J

CLOZE 2

Fill in each blank with the correct word from the box. Use each word once only

(A) few         (D) a (G) in (K) one    (N) on
(B) much (E) its (H) his (L) from (P) for
(C) would (F) to (J) few (M) many (Q) the

Carl and his brother were planning to go on a cruise to Malaysia. There were three main cruise companies for them to choose ___1___. They were Starry Cruise, Medi Cruise and Victoria cruise. Over the weekend, Carl and his brother looked through ___2___ websites of each cruise company for more information.

The first one Carl checked up ___3___ was Starry cruise. It was a Malaysia-owned company, hence most of ___4___ destinations were in Malaysia. They included Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Langkawi. They did have one that traveled right up to Thailand. The cruises ranged from two nights to five nights.

The next website Carl visited was the Medi Cruise ___5___ . This was an American-owned company so their destinations were mostly in North America. However, ___6___ of the cruise packages were fly-cruise ones. This meant that one would have to take an airplane to another location in order to board the ship so it ___7___ be more expensive.

The last website was Victoria Cruise's. This was also an American-owned company. They, too, had fly-cruise packages. They only had two available cruises that departed Singapore. They were Asian cruises and lasted fourteen to sixteen days. Each was quite costly due to its long duration.

After ___8___ consideration, Carl and his brother decided to opt for a Starry Cruise package. It was the most affordable. They read further about the ship's facilities. There was a cinema, casino, swimming pool, rock-climbing wall, gymnasium, restaurants and even a shopping center all on board ! They were excited and decided ___9___ book a four-night cruise that took them to Kuala Lumpur. This package even had a day of land shopping when the ship docked ___10___ refueling. The brothers could not wait.

Keys

1L   2Q   3N   4E   5K   6M   7C   8B   9F   10P